Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Jennys Wine Girl (Race 5)
Race #1: Selections: 3-6-1
A runner-up at 42-1 in last 3-Tiger Whitworth has good early zip and drops in for a career-low tag today for Knapp; should be able to bottom out this field at today’s reduced level. The field’s best last-out Beyer (74) adds to the appeal. 6-Keep Movin’ on finished a wide third against $10k claimers Oct. 4 and now shows up for $5k today. This barn has solid stats overall with 50% class droppers. 1-Mici’s Express is another class dropper ($16k to $5k) for trainer Antonio Garcia, who figures to trip out favorably with today’s rail draw.
Race #2: Selections: 1-6-5
1-Running Spartan makes career try number 15 today but drops back down into maiden claimers with speed and has run par for this level in the past. 6-Fuzzy Stare drops back in for a tag-off back-to-back fourth-place finishes going five panels at Del Mar and can improve here. Second off the claim, 5-Jetaway goes dirt to turf and shows up as a first-time gelding for Miller.
Race #3: Selections: 2-3-6
2-Shady Tiger goes first off the Mullins claim, coming off a solid runner-up try and a lofty (86) dirt Beyer at Del Mar on Sept. 6, finishing well clear of the third-place finisher. This barn has solid stats with new acquisitions. 3-Brunchandcrunch broke slowly and then was wide in what amounted to a decent amount of trouble when returning off a 10-month layoff on Aug. 8 and is eligible to move forward significantly off that effort for Baltas. That race has produced a pair of next-out winners. 6-Keithing Thunder stretches back out off a sub-par sixth-place effort at Del Mar off a six-month layoff on Sept. 4 and is likely to show more early zip this afternoon back to his preferred trip.
Race #4: Selections: 8-9-5
8-Strike a Match (by Maclean’s Music) finished an even fifth in a well-bet debut Sept. 5 and now drops in for a tag in start number two for trainer Mark Glatt. The (73) dirt Beyer the gelding earned that afternoon should be enough to beat this field, even without normal second-out improvement. 9-Kore Kinetic has speed with a cozy outside draw and put in a career-best effort on Sept. 11, flashing good speed and settling for second. The 5-year-old gelding followed up that improved effort with another bullet “best of 54” four-furlong drill in :46.1 on Sept. 28. 5-Ride the Tiger returns as a first-time gelding off a recent second on Aug. 29 and makes the third start of the form cycle today for conditioner Brian Koriner.
Race #5: Selections: 2-6-7
2-Jennys Wine Girl adds blinkers with solid positional speed for Richard Baltas on the class plunge today, and this filly should prove tough to overhaul at this level with an alert break. The lightly raced 6-Watch Over Us finished third behind the top choice in only start number two last time out and still has plenty of upside for Miller. The daughter of Army Mule came back to fire a bullet five panels on Oct. 2. 7-Angelica Bay (Ire) rounds out a somewhat predictable top three, dropping back down to a level where she’s been competitive for O’Neill.
Race #6: Selections: 1-4-5
Trainer Doug O’Neill sends out a pair of fillies here. 1-Lovely Maya was a solid second on debut at Los Al on Sept. 19 in a short field and now stretches out in start number two. Her sire Idol, was a Garde 1 winner going two turns. Her stablemate 4-Mooberry goes turf to dirt and was third behind the top choice two back. 5-Awesome Amy stretches out in start number two off an even fourth on debut Aug. 28 and need not have to improve much to compete here.
Race #7: Selections: 4-3-7
4-Antifona (Fr) is winless since August 2024 but returns to turf today for Cerin and had a solid prep on Aug. 16, sprinting over the main oval at Del Mar. The 5-year-old mare has been training over the Santa Anita synthetic like she means business and lures Hernandez here. 3-Slick (Ire) hasn’t been out since December 2025 but is a multiple winner over the track and distance for D’Amato and is likely to come out running off a spirited worktab. 7-Pura Vida Princesa drops out of the G2 JC Mabee into this easier spot today for Team O’Neill off a subpar speed and fade but was a game winner two-back over the Del Mar lawn. This filly has run well here and is a solid rebound candidate.
Race #8: Selections: 6-5-3
A wide-open $50k maiden claiming sprint kicks off the late pick four. 6-Luka’s Choice ran an even fourth behind Diamond Tornado on Sept. 12 but can move forward for conditioner Craig Lewis in start number two. This jockey-trainer combo is 4-for-11 (36%) with a $4.15 ROI with second-time starters the past three years. 5-Johnny B has run second in back-to-back Del Mar five-furlong sprint tries and steps off the Aug. 23 claim and near miss for trainer Ian Kruljac. Hernandez takes over the riding assignment this afternoon. 3-Diamond Tornado is one of several juveniles exiting the Sept. 12 5 ½ furlong sprint. The son of McKinzie flashed improved speed on the class drop at 24-1 and fell a neck shy. He’s dangerous with a similar effort.
Race #9: Selections: 5-6-7
5-Simple Song has never tried turf for Glatt but has plenty of speed to clear this field with JJ Hernandez, making his third try of the current form cycle, and could potentially go gate-to-wire here. The gelding has enough grass pedigree on the dam side to consider a contender here. His stablemate 6-Bad Uncle Barry has finished first or second in his last five turf sprints and has never run a bad one over the Santa Anita lawn. He makes his second start off the nine-month layoff this afternoon and is a logical win candidate. A game 9-1 winner, two-back 7-Mescalero drops out of the G2 Green Flash H. into this softer spot this afternoon for Mandella. His most recent Oct. 3 synthetic bullet drill in :58.2 hints that a top effort might be forthcoming.
Race #10: Selections: 10-9-8
10-Domenici (by Early Voting) makes the all-important third career try for Tim Yakteen off two solid main track Beyers (72,76) and should be all set for a career-best effort today. 9-Will Do One flashed improved speed on the stretch out on Aug. 22 in a short field when well clear of the third-place finisher and should be able to establish the front again this afternoon. Another progressive move forward makes this son of Omaha Beach a solid win candidate here. 8-Moonflight broke slowly and rallied to finish third behind Domenici in an encouraging unveiling Sept. 7 at Del Mar. The Flightline juvenile figures to be a handful with any normal second-out progression.
